This invention relates to devices for rapid connection/disconnection of one member to another. The invention particularly relates to a rapid connect/disconnect system to quickly secure and remove archery accessories from a bow.
Archery accessories, such as quivers, stabilizers, and archer sights, are commonly attached to archery bows for convenience and to assist the archer in accuracy. Such accessories have traditionally included a threaded portion which threads into a mating threaded slot in the archery bow. Modern archery bows are most commonly compound bows which provide an enormous amount of force as the arrow is released. The large amount of shock or impulse force on the archery bow when the string is released by the archer is transmitted to the archery accessories attached to the bow. This force commonly causes the accessory to loosen and decreases accuracy when the accessory is an archery sight. For this reason, the threaded portions which fix archery accessories to the archery bow are generally long enough so that when tightly screwed onto the bow, this threaded fit will resist the vibration forces when the string is released. A result of the length of the threaded portion fixing the accessory to the archery bow requires that the accessory be rotated many revolutions in order to detach the accessory from the bow and then requires a similar number of rotations in the opposite direction to again secure the accessory to the bow.
It is desirable for many reasons to attach and detach archery accessories from the bow. For example, archers frequently detach accessories from the bow for transport and storage so that the bow can be maneuvered and stored more easily. Additionally, it is desirable to detach accessories from the bow during transport to reduce the possibility of damage to the accessory or the bow. In addition, cases and covers for archery bows frequently do not provide room for covering the archery bow with the accessory attached, necessitating the removal of the accessory. Furthermore, many states require that archery accessories be removed from the archery bow during transport and storage of the bow. A need for a rapid connect/disconnect to quickly and easily secure an archery accessory to an archery bow which alternately quickly and easily detaches exists in the archery industry.
In addition, a general need exists for a system which allows quick and easy attachment of one member to another so that the members are held in their connected position against unintentional release, which also provides for quick and easy disconnect of the members when desired.